


Arm Candy

by grumpyfrumpy



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, M/M, Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2019-11-27 00:57:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18187745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grumpyfrumpy/pseuds/grumpyfrumpy
Summary: Vax'ildan picks up the practice of becoming arm candy to rich people to parties, balls and other such social events to pay his bills. He doesn't take the same person more than twice in two months, does not do long-term jobs and he definitely does not sleep with his clients.Though of course, when Percival de Rolo becomes your client, a lot of that shit goes out the window.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> > I don't watch CR1 but I know bits and pieces of the story  
> > I don't proofread, press F to pay respects  
> > I just want to indulge in some Perc'ildan goodness, please don't judge...  
> > This is dedicated to all the peeps in our Clayleb discord who are forever my shining sapphires and lovely and supportive people! love you all <3 :3c

A beautiful half-elf, dressed in a snug t-shirt and skinny jeans, sat at a computer, typing away into the system rapidly. The man furrowed his brows as he stopped to think about what to write next. He had sharp features, a pointed nose and dark brown eyes, his long black hair just a few ways past his shoulder. He sighed for a minute as a familiar figure sat down next to him, and he started to tie up his hair into a ponytail, waiting for her words.

“Vax, you can’t be serious.”

Vax’ildan was most definitely serious. Why  _ wouldn’t  _ he be? He was a handsome devil and he knew it. He’d have people of all kinds swarming over him in no time, wanting him to be their partners for balls or charity events. He’d be well known in the socialite crowd, and maybe someone could even land him a job, something very much needed if they wanted to keep this flat for as long as they did. 

“Vax, no, come on, you did this back in Syngorn, then in Emon and back then I didn’t care what you did because our father hated it.” His twin groaned, sitting down next to him as she looked over their shoulders. Vex'ahlia was very much similar in appearance to her brother, the same brown eyes and pointed nose, and with long black hair that was braided instead of untied like his, and her choice of red lipstick and eye makeup. Today, she was wearing her favourite striped t-shirt and jeans, so there was no way her mood would be ruined enough by Vax’s ventures. 

“I can't believe you, you’re signing up for sugar daddy endorsements?  _ In an internet cafe _ ?” 

Vex’ahlia spoke in a hushed voice as she glared at Vax, who simply ignored her as he continued to enter his details and many pictures of himself he had professionally photographed for this purpose. 

“Normally I’d applaud you for having the balls to do this but could you maybe have waited until  _ after  _ I’d settled the internet connection?” 

Vax stopped typing into the profile box and looked at Vex with disbelief. “Come on. Do you really think I’d leave this on the internet history?”    
“Well! I don’t know, all I know is I’m not paying a penny towards the fine here if you get caught. How are you even hiding your history anyway?”    
“Can’t tell you, Stubby, I’d get into trouble.” 

Vax winked before he went back to his profile. Where was he? Ah, yes.  _ Vax’ildan, 28, dastardly charming and, for a price, will be able to cater to whatever need of yours, whenever ;)  _

“Wow, I can’t believe this shit.” Vex rolled her eyes, keeping a wary eye out for any unwanted audiences. Vax simply gave her a nudge, as if to reassure her that it would all be okay, before turning back to the computer. 

 

 

_ Much as the twins struggled with their finances, and being fresh into another new city for two weeks with only a few platinum to their name, it was much better than being in Syngorn and living with a man they called ‘Father’ by blood. They had to leave their mother behind to live in the elven city - upon her request, she wished for them to live a more comfortable life with their father.  _

_ Unfortunately for them, life in Syngorn was only bearable thanks to people that they had met. Their father had rarely shown them any concern or affection as he did for his pureblood elven daughter, and the twins understood that they were only living with him because he could not stand any part of his bloodline living so frugally.  _

_ But a roof and food for their stomachs was all they were given, and unable to live in the presence of their father any longer, the twins left home at the age of twenty, where they spent the next eight years surviving off odd jobs, and the charity of strangers.  _

_ It was not an ideal way to live. The rent would be overdue for weeks, the twins had been close to losing their small homes and would often forgo their own health to pay the rent, but they much preferred it to a home with Syldor Vessar. _

_ Once Vax'ildan went back into his practice of accompanying rich socialites to events, something he hadn't done since he was eighteen, things got a little easier. He had gotten himself some popularity in the list of escorts available for services, and their patrons would help them pay their bills for small favours here and there. He refused to do anything sexual, though there were times when he had allowed a few kisses for the lonely clients that paid a few gold extras for some TLC. _

_ Vex wasn't always happy that he was pretty much selling his company to earn money, but often they didn't have much choice, and the money they had from Vax's services was usually enough to keep them safe and often fed thrice a day.  _

_ Whatever they could get, they would take. _

 

 

Vax stepped out of the internet cafe, stretching out his arms as he walked around the corner and back to his and Vex's flat. They had gotten this place thanks to the help of their friends, Scanlan and Pike, who offered to pay the first six months of rent until they could get their bearings. The twins knew that Scanlan could cover the rent for as long as they needed, but it was too much for their good conscience. They promised that they'd be able to manage by the time the first six months were up. 

It was nothing too special, the living room as normal as could be with used sofas, a coffee table that had claw marks on the legs, and a nice television that Scanlan insisted he gift them after seeing how plain and empty the flat looked, even with furniture.

“At least it was cheap,” Vax mumbled, then shook his head realising he sounded exactly like Vex. Not that he wasn’t thankful, her impulse control and money managing skills were what was able to keep them afloat for as long as they did. 

Sitting down on the settee, Vax turned on his phone. He had downloaded the app before he left the internet room, and it had been half an hour by the time he'd come back, so he took a chance to quickly go through and see if there were any messages. 

It was surely a surprise to see that there had been an immediate response, a single message lying in his inbox. Opening up his email, and with a touch of excitement, Vax began to read.

 

From:  [ pfvmkdr@talmail.ex   
](mailto:pfvmkdr@talmail.ex) Subject: A monthly requirement

Dear Vax'ildan, 

I am writing to you to ask for your services for an indefinite amount of time. I wanted to know if this was possible and if you will be able to put your availability to other individuals on hold as we collaborate. There will be a good pay for your services.

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Regards,

P.D.R. 

 

The corners of his lips twitched in amusement. It must be a pretty big thing lined up for ‘P.D.R.’ to want his services for, what Vax could only assume, multiple events. Usually, he didn't go with the same person for long, not without having a few months in between. 

However, this has piqued his interest nonetheless. If the sum was worth the while, Vax would seriously consider it, so he decided to write back.

 

From: [vaxildanv@talnet.ex](mailto:vaxildanv@talnet.ex)   
Subject: A monthly requirement (please elaborate)

Dear P.D.R.,

Thank you for writing. You have most definitely sparked some interest here, though I must admit I usually do not take on clients for longer than two social events, for the sake of networking (please refer to the list that is on my profile). 

However, I am willing to make an exception if I can get to know who I am working with, and how much pay this job will entail. You can call me on my number below. 

Regards, 

Vax’ildan

 

Attaching his number to the end of the email, Vax pressed 'Send’. 

Within about a few minutes, his phone rang, and Vax looked at the number with uncertainty.  _ Should  _ he do this? Maybe he should have been careful, this was a new town, and he didn't even know this person’s name. What if he was setting himself up for death?

“Oh, bugger it. Hello?” Vax answered the phone, putting on a very casual voice to hide his apprehension.

“Ah, Vax'ildan. Pleasure, I hope you're well.” A man’s voice came through the phone - he spoke very politely and proper, in an accent very much native to the Whitestone population though much more refined. 

“Oh- y-yeah, I'm well.” Vax stumbled with his words a bit, caught a little off guard.  _ Wow, he has a very nice voice.  _

“Good, good. Right, so as I discussed over our email, I do need your services for a few months. Longer, if needed.”   
“Yeah, mate, that’s all fine, but one, I don’t even know your name, and two, how much are we talking?” 

‘P.D.R.’ seemed to chuckle, before he said, “My name is Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo the Third.”   
“What the fuck?” Vax blinked, forgetting this man’s first name as he tried to remember what the rest of it was. The other laughed a little more now at Vax’s plight. 

“Percival. Percy will do.”    
“Okay. Well, Percy, I know your name. I don’t know how much I’m getting paid for my services, though.”    
“How does two hundred and fifty platinum sound?”

Vax sat up straighter, mumbling unsurely, “Certainly the most expensive price I’ve gotten for a single job…”   
“Oh, good to know. Just to clarify, Vax’ildan, that would be a monthly sum for you _. _ ” 

Vax’s jaw dropped, unable to process what had just been said. Two-hundred and fifty fucking platinum per month? That was… How could Percy afford it? No, scratch that,  _ why  _ was he paying so much? Not even clients with sexual relations made as much in this business. He had to sit down for a good minute, barely hearing Percy’s voice calling his name. 

“Um… Vax’ildan?”    
“Sorry! Sorry,” Vax gasped, realising he had zoned out of the conversation. “You’re saying you’re going to pay me two-fifty platinum every month for my  _ company _ ? I hope I made it very clear that I don’t do sexual relations.”   
“Oh, no, don’t worry. I’m not interested. I just need your services, it’s purely business.” 

_ That was something Vax could roll with _ . “Right, okay. I’m your bitch. How do you want to do this?”

Percy let out a chuckle, before he said, “Excellent. Come round mine, we’ll get you sorted for tonight’s event.” 

The two exchanged pleasantries for a bit more, before saying goodbye so that Vax could get ready for later. As soon as Vax hung up Percy’s call (and promptly saving his number afterwards) he immediately got on the phone with his sister. 

“Fuck, Vex, you won’t believe what just happened.”    
“My class starts in two minutes, Vax, make it quick.” Vex groaned through the phone. 

“I got a job to be this rich guy’s arm candy - it’s a two-fifty plat per month job.” 

There was a long silence through the other end of the line, and Vax had to ask her if she was okay. 

“Fuck. How? How did you do this?”    
“I wish I could answer. But I took it… and yeah?”    
“Well, I’m not complaining… two and a half thousand gold - and with both our jobs we’re going to be able to pay the rent, have groceries  _ and  _ pay back Scanlan in the next few months with ease-”   
“Yeah, exactly. Things are looking up, yeah? So let’s just keep at this.” 

Vex sighed slowly, and Vax could immediately tell from it that she was in two minds about it. 

“Yeah, but what if this guy’s bad news? This is a lot of money, and I don’t- never mind. I don’t care. Do as you please, but I’ve really got to get to class, okay?”    
“Yeah, yeah, see you later. And I’ll be careful!” Vax chuckled, and as his sister hung up the phone, he couldn’t help but let out a silent cheer, throwing his hands in the air as he rushed to take a shower. He couldn’t mess this up, no way. 

 

 

Vax was surprised that Percival -  _ Percy -  _ had arranged for a ride from his downtown apartment, in a  _ very nice  _ car. He had put on the nicest suit he owned, a plain black expensive piece that Scanlan had bought for him. Pairing it with a sapphire blue tie and a plain white shirt, he walked out of the house after getting Vex’s solid approval of his clothing choices. 

The ride was only twenty minutes, and he wished he would last more. The seats of the car were so comfortable that Vax could probably fall asleep right there and then. Compared to their second-hand and far from an elite car, this was a penthouse vehicle in itself. 

Looking outside, Vax could see the scenery change around them as they drove through Whitestone. They lived much closer to the outer regions of the city, and now it seemed that they were driving further in. There were more skyscraper-like buildings, so tall that it was difficult to see the night sky and the stars above. Many corporate employees were walking down the roads after a long day’s work, and there were considerably more taxis than in their residential area. People were dressed for parties, social events, and Vax wonders if he’ll see anyone on the streets at the event he’s attending tonight.

The city setting reminded Vax a little too much of Syngorn, though it was also not like Syngorn at all. So while he did not appreciate central Whitestone as much as where he and Vex lived, he could probably deal with it. No… he would have to learn to deal with it if he was going to keep meeting up with Percy as discussed. 

“We’re here, Mr Vax’ildan.” The chauffeur had stopped the car in front of a very tall residential building. Thanking him quickly, Vax jumped out of the car, looking up at the building and trying to figure out how tall it was. Thirty, maybe forty floors? He couldn’t say for sure, but it was very tall. 

And as Vax walked inside, he could tell this place was very high maintenance, and probably very expensive to live in. This client was  _ definitely  _ the most expensive he had ever had, so now Vax’s normally confident demeanour was dashed by nerves, and he nearly stumbled and tripped over the stairs as he walked inside the apartment, looking at the receptionist with a sheepish smile. 

“Um, Percy?” 

The woman at the desk raised a brow at him suspiciously, and Vax cleared his throat, standing up straight. “Sorry, darling, I’ve got a meeting with someone that lives here. A mister Percival de Rolo? Tell him that Vax’ildan’s come to see him.”

Her eyes lit up in recognition at the name, and she nodded immediately as she called up the flat to inform Percy of his arrival. She quickly hung up the call, and gave the half-elf a kind smile. “I do apologise, Sir, I’ve just not seen you before. Mr. de Rolo’s just confirmed you to be his guest.”    
“Oh, don’t worry, love, mistakes happen.” Vax grinned at her, noting that her cheeks flushed with delight at being talked to so endearingly, and it was a definite boost to his self-confidence. 

“The lifts are to the left. He’s on the top floor, the penthouse.” The receptionist stood up and held her hand out in the direction of the lifts, and with a wink, Vax walked off towards the lifts, casting a glance back at her flushed face before walking through the metal doors. 

Of course, his nerves came back at full force the minute the doors closed. Vax didn’t think this through well enough. Everything, from how sudden this arrangement was to a nagging voice at the back of his head telling him he was heading towards doom, put him on edge. It was a little overwhelming, and Vax had to take a deep breath to calm himself. He had an emergency app on his phone in case this turned ugly. It would be fine.  _ If he was quick enough to get to his phone first.  _

The lift went up fairly quickly, past the tenth floor, twentieth floor,  _ thirty-five _ -

As soon as it came to a stop and the doors opened with a ding, Vax quickly rushed out of the lift… and ran  _ right into someone.  _

“Oh, shite!” Vax gasped, nearly losing his balance had it not been for two strong hands grabbing his shoulders and steadying him. 

Vax looked up slowly, seeing a white-haired man with thin-rimmed glasses look down at him in mild surprise. His hair was unruly and slightly overgrown, nearly reaching down to his eyebrows. Vax could tell he wasn’t an old person because the man himself looked fairly young - only that he had lines between his brows and wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, which definitely seemed to be from stress more than anything else.

He also had a very slight stubble, making him look older than the hair already did. And he smelled of cologne that was definitely of an expensive kind, Vax was sure. And dressed in an  _ expensive,  _ soft ultramarine coloured suit with a red tie to complement it. 

“Sorry! Um, I didn’t mean to- didn’t see you.” Vax said quietly, enraptured by this man in front of him that was  _ still  _ holding onto his arms and stopping him from falling. For this, he was secretly grateful, because if running into him hadn’t sent him flying to the ground, his beauty definitely will. There seemed to be a rough edge to him, just from looking at him, but for Vax, that was an attractive feature. 

_ Wow, Vax, stop falling in love with the first handsome stranger you meet, you’re here for business _ , Vax muttered inwardly, and he slowly stepped away from this man, giving him a small smile. 

“Apologies. I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got to meet a client.” Vax nodded at him, and when the stranger returned the gesture, Vax mumbled a hesitant goodbye and walked right past him towards what looked to be the door of the penthouse. 

Quite suddenly, his phone started to ring, and Vax pulled out his mobile, eyes widening slightly at the caller ID. He slowly held the phone to his ear, murmuring a quiet, “Hello?” so that his voice wouldn’t echo down the hall. 

“Nice suit, Vax’ildan, where did you get it?” 

The voice was coming from behind him, and Vax almost yelped and very nearly dropped his phone. He quickly turned around, looking right at the white-haired man that had his phone in his hand and held to his ear, giving the half-elf a small smirk. 

Percival de Rolo. The man that caught him when he fell out of the lift. The man he was trying to avoid immediately because he was attracted to handsome strangers too quickly. This man was Percy. And by gods, was he a sight. 

Vax’s heart sunk in horror as Percy walked closer, looking more and more handsome with each passing second. 

“I thought it was rather amusing you walking past me to see  _ me _ .” Percy chuckled, looking down at Vax with a devious smile. “But, no matter. You are here now. I was going to come down and get you myself.”

Vax groaned inwardly, knowing that this was going to cause some problems, he was sure of it. He desperately needed the money this was getting him, but this man was so distractingly handsome that it might have been a better idea to meet up for a coffee  _ first  _ before committing to such a lengthy arrangement. But it was too late for that now. His heart thumped in his chest a little faster and he could feel the colour on his cheeks creep down his neck.

_ He was well and truly fucked.  _


	2. Chapter 2

“Thank you, I'm glad I didn't bother you coming all the way down, then,” Vax shrugged, looking up at Percy. He was a couple of inches taller, and he looked to be human. Or

“No problem. So where's this lovely bit of clothing from, hm? Perhaps from Shaun Gilmore's collection.” Percy reached out to lightly touch the suit, running a finger down Vax's chest.  _ Oh no. _

Vax felt himself gulp, trying to distract himself with Percy’s own expensive suit - now that he had a closer look, it was clearly a high-end piece of wear, something that was specially tailored to his requirement. And in his experience, this was only a taste of how rich his client was. But more of that afterwards. 

“Ah, yes, and a lovely tie to match. This is a Wildemount import.”

He was relieved to see that Scanlan's selection had met the mark, and he was  _ definitely  _ not thinking about anything else suggestive, as he managed a smile. 

“Oh, yeah, I'd say you're right.” Vax looked at him confidently for a moment but was unable to hold Percy's gaze for long, feeling the heat creep up his neck as managed to look away.  _ Oh, how he wished this agreement wasn't a chaste one _ .

_ No, don’t be stupid, you need the money don’t get distracted,  _ Vax grumbled internally, shaking off the thoughts as he looked up at Percival, “Well, ready when you are.”

“Good. Now that all pleasantries are done with, shall we?” Percy directed them back to the lift, and once they were inside, pressed the button to take them back down. 

“So, why are my services needed for so long, Percy?” Vax asked as the lift began to move, glancing at the other slowly. “Perhaps there's some sort of ulterior motive?” 

Percy chuckled, turning a little to look at him. 

“Nervous, are we now, Vax'ildan?” He teased, smirking at the other's apprehension. Vax huffed, even though Percy  _ had  _ been right about his anxiety over the matter.

“No, I just don't take clients more than twice in such a close frame of time. Don't blame me for wanting to understand,” Vax mumbled, “and please don't call me Vax'ildan? It feels very strange.”    
“I apologise. What do we call you then, is Vax alright?”    
“Mm. Yeah, that'll do.” Vax nodded, giving him a small smile of approval. They shared another moment of silence, but it wasn’t long till Vax’s curiosity was once again awakened. 

“So. Where are we off to again?” He asked casually, and Percy looked at him, genuinely surprised for a second.

“Oh, sorry, I thought I had told you. We’re just on the other side of the city, a charity auction event. Should only be a couple of hours.”    
“Oh. Alright. Haven’t been to one of those in a while.” 

Vax was quiet once more as they reached the ground floor and walked out through the lobby. As they walked out, he found himself exchanging a wink with the receptionist again. She simply blushed once more, discreetly waving him off as they left the apartment building and out onto the street. 

The exchange didn’t go unnoticed by Percy, who brought it up as they stepped into the car, “I can get her number for you if you like.” 

Vax could have sworn he heard his heart shatter at those words. Of course, Percy wouldn’t be interested in Vax - after all, he did seem to be the type that separated work from play. But Vax wouldn’t mind  _ at all _ if the man showed some form of interest towards him, even if it was just a little. 

He kept his cool and managed to shrug it off without coming off as heartbroken, “Oh, no- I’ll be okay. I don’t really care or anything.”    
“Oh, so you’re not really the whole relationship thing or anything. You must find this job very easy then.”    
“N-No!” Vax blurted out, shocked that Percy was now under the impression he wasn’t interested in any form of relations.  

“Oh no! No, I am  _ definitely  _ okay with relations of any kind. Guys, girls, you name it, I am very okay! But you know, I’m in business mode and all, yeah? I’m  _ very committed  _ to my clients and- and yeah-”

Vax caught himself rambling and stopped short of his sentence, and his face feeling much warmer than it already was. Yeah, he had made it clear he wasn’t against a relationship of any sort. Great. But perhaps he came off as a bit  _ too  _ eager now.  _ Stop it, idiot, just stop talking! _

Percy gave him a curious look, lingering his gaze on Vax for a second before he shrugged and looked back outside the window, leaving Vax to his thoughts. 

_ Way to go, Vax. You’re definitely going to screw this up.  _ He furrowed his brows, almost ready to accept defeat. 

Percy was definitely one of the quieter types of people you met in your life. He was not shy, by any means, but he definitely did not speak until it was necessary for him to do so. They were settled into a comfortable silence after a while, despite Vax's red-faced moment, and the latter took to looking outside the window for a while. 

“Well, Vax, there are a few things we need to get over before we go to the event.”

Vax looked over curiously, nodding for him to speak. 

“I suppose there'll be some media attention since my lack of relationships are always a thing the reporters pounce on,” Percy said casually, and Vax was a little surprised to hear it but took it in stride.

“Alright, fair. Any dos or don't?” Vax asked as they pulled over at the building where the event was being held. The car came to a halt, after which the driver announced to Percy of their arrival to the event venue.

“Just… be yourself. I think the papers will have a fun time when they realise you're not someone that's in the rich kid crowd.” 

“Basically, when they realise Percival de Rolo's involved with someone that's not important enough.” Vax snorted, and Percy rolled his eyes but still managed to meet him with a smile.

“I was trying to be nice.” He laughed softly, before the door was opened on his side of the car. “Alright then, Vax, all smiles now.” 

Percy got out of the car and held out his hand to Vax, who took it and stepped out into the view of the photographers. There seemed to be a collective gasp, followed by the quick movement of the cameras in his and Percy’s direction. 

This wasn’t new to Vax – he’s had his photo taken before but perhaps not to this extent. He squinted a little, adjusting his eyes to the light just as the hand that held his own moved to the small of his back. Percy brought himself a little closer to Vax, offering a small but pleasant smile to the paparazzi. 

The half-elf found himself holding his breath, his eyes lingering on Percy's face for a moment before he turned to offer the cameras a few dashing smiles of his own. 

“There we go, you're quite good at this,” Percy leaned in to whisper into Vax's ear, his low voice sending a shiver down his spine and made his toes curl in his shoes.  _ This was going to be extremely difficult. _

“Cameras love me, what can I say?” Vax chuckled, allowing Percy to lead him up the red carpet stairs, and through the wooden doors into a large auditorium. 

The walls were decorated with curtains and flower arrangements, in shades of orange and red. There were round tables that seated about eight people, arranged in an orderly layout across the auditorium. These had table runners of peach, and cutlery of silver and fine china, and napkins of maroon on the plates. In the middle, a large arrangement of flowers of different kinds, arranged in a mountain shaped bouquet of reds, oranges, golds, and…  _ were there lights glowing from petals? _

Vax blinked, taking a look at it once more but it seemed to a simple illusion. With a shrug, he followed Percy to the bar, sticking as close to him as possible. 

“Here you go, something with berries and citrus. You might need some drink in you to loosen you up,” Percy held out a purplish coloured drink to Vax, who had let out a soft laugh as he accepted the drink with thanks. 

“Oh, it doesn't take an awful lot to loosen me up, and all.” Vax shrugged, before immediately turning red-faced as he realised what he had said. Percy seemed to think of the same thing, unfortunately, his cheeks turning slightly pink and he could barely manage to hold his gaze with the other. 

_ Good grief, you've got it bad. Get a grip, it's not always about sex _ . Vax tried to, and pathetically, convince himself that he was not interested in Percy. He  _ was not  _ interested in Percy! 

Thankfully, the need for conversation came to an end as there was an announcement for the auction to begin. The humdrum of the room ceased to mere whispers as the attendees all walked to their assigned tables and took their seats. Percy took Vax through the gathering and found a table that had Percy's name, and surprisingly Vax'ildan's, lettered onto place cards.

“So, are we gonna, you know, get something done while we're here? You haven't told me anything about why I'm needed and all.”

“Oh? I mean, we're here for the auction, of course. If there's something that's nice enough, perhaps we can procure it for my collection. That's all.” Percy added with a note of finality, making it very clear he was not entertaining this conversation any further.

Vax wasn't entirely convinced that was the only reason for Percy being here, but knew there wasn’t much he would get out of the other, so he shifted his attention back to the emcee. 

It doesn't take long for Vax to tap out of the long talk the auctioneer was giving about charity and helping the homeless and the needful and instead cast a glance towards the other attendees of the event. 

For the most part, Vax hadn't recognised anyone and was simply taking in their elegant, expensive clothing from afar, how they carried themselves with grace and an air of importance in every single movement of theirs. 

He feels a little out of place, definitely. He definitely did not speak with such formality, and his hair was probably very unkempt in comparison. His suit might just have pulled him through, and the fact that he was with Percy definitely meant people wouldn’t question. But the wealth that encompassed him definitely made him uncomfortable as much as it was exciting.   

But Vax pushes the thought out of his mind and tries to focus more on the task at hand, and the pay that comes with it. His 

Vax looked back to the bouquet in the middle of the table, and he once again noticed the strange coloured lights streak between the flowers, a glow of sorts around them. 

“Um, sorry, but do these flowers have strobe lights or something?”    
“Oh, no. No, that's probably some special effects stuff that the florist had done.” 

Vax raised his brows, as he said slowly, “Oh, I didn't realise. Magic user?”    
“Sort of,” Percy shrugged, giving Vax a curious look. “Sometimes she can't resist having a little bit of a show in her flower arrangements.” 

Vax saw that there were a couple of photographers taking his and Percy's photo, and he wondered if he'd make it onto the papers tomorrow morning. Despite the presence of many other notable figures in the higher circles (or so said many magazines), the camera seemed to focus on them a lot more than the others. He shifted uncomfortably when he realised that, as he turned to Percy again. 

“Do, um, do people take your picture a lot?” 

Percy smiled at the question, before leaning in closer to Vax to whisper in his ear. 

“Oh, definitely. And you being with me is a cherry on top for the paparazzi.” 

Vax barely registered those words, distracted by the close proximity of Percy’s face and the quiet rumble of his voice made the hairs on the back of his neck stand. 

“Being a part of celebrity gossip was not mentioned as a part of the deal, as far as I remember…” Vax turned his head a little, now taking closer note of Percy’s features. How his bright blue eyes seemed to hold Vax's attention effortlessly and could feel himself hold onto his breath. He saw that Percy’s lips were only a mere few inches from his, and if he wanted to, he could move a few ways forward and just-

“Well, I would definitely make it up to you, Vax. One way or another…” Percy murmured, peering down at Vax's mouth, and Vax bit his lip, wondering if Percy would take the plunge and  _ just kiss him already _ . 

Percy chuckled, pulling himself back and relieving Vax of his piercing gaze. The half-elf found himself seething when he realised he wasn't getting what he wanted, again, and he had to do all in his power to stop himself from screaming out his frustration

_ Of course, it's just for the cameras, Vax. What are you even hoping for? _

“I'm going to step outside for some air,” Vax looked at Percy, and when the other looked at him, all he could think of was how the feeling of their lips against each other would be. He turned a little pink at the thought, hoping that Percy couldn't read his mind. 

“Are you alright?” Percy asked with concern, and Vax nodded slowly, giving the other a smile as he got up and walked towards one of the doors. Outside, he stood by the railings of the balcony, overlooking a garden with a variety of flowers and ferns. He managed to shut out the sounds from the event behind him, and switched his attention to his mobile phone, where there were a few texts from a familiar number. 

**Vex:** hey, how's the party? hopefully, your client isn't giving you too much trouble, let me know if I have to beat them up xx 

Vax chuckled, and immediately opened his sister's contact, pressing the green phone icon on his screen and waited for the call to connect. 

“Hello? Everything okay?”    
“Hey, um… yeah, I guess.”    
“Oh no,” Vex sounded concerned when she heard the exhaustion in his voice, and she asked, “Is he an asshole? Do you want me to come and pick you up?”    
“No! No, he's great, honestly. He's a very nice person, this is all strictly business, it's fine. He's not an asshole.” Vax sighed, massaging his temples in irritation. “He's not bad.”

Vex hummed through the phone, before she said, “Well I suppose that's all good, then. Just don't fall in love with him, it'll be fine, I guess?”

Vax awkwardly coughed at the statement, wondering if he should confide in his twin about reconsidering the no-sex agreement with his client, but the moment’s silence was enough for Vex to let out a groan.

“You fell in love with him, didn't you?”    
“What? No!” Vax blurted out, even though that was probably  _ exactly  _ what the case was, but he liked to be in denial about it for a little bit longer. “No- I mean he's like really handsome and all, and  _ God help me _ because this is going to be so hard, but-”    
“Yeah, yeah, I got it the first time, he's hot, you want to bone him.”   
“Don't say it like that, Stubby. Disgusting.” Vax muttered as he turned around to look back into the hall, when his eyes fell on a lone figure that was stood by the door. 

He was a well-dressed man, bearded and with a thin moustache, his hair well kept and gelled back save for a few strands that fell across his face. Vax noticed as he turned towards him slightly, that there was a streak of grey in his mane. This strange person was wearing a long tailcoat and a blue billowy necktie, with also a fur scarf over one of his shoulders. His attire and body language screamed of importance, and perhaps even royalty. Vax could barely listen to Vex trying to speak to him, with the stranger's presence serving as an unpleasant distraction. 

His eyes, all of a sudden, glowed red in the dark, sending a fearful shiver through Vax. He gripped onto the balcony railing tightly, wondering what would come of him if he looked at this person for too long. 

“Hey, I'll call you back…” Vax said slowly, realising that his sister was still on the phone. With a huff, Vex hung up on him, and when Vax turned back around, he saw that the strange man had gone. The air instantly felt lighter, and Vax could  _ hear  _ just how loudly his heart was beating.

“Right, that was weird,” Vax muttered to himself, putting his phone back into his pocket. “I should probably get back, see what Percy's doing.” 

Once he had calmed down from that exchange, Vax turned around again to make his way inside, but another person was standing at the entrance, making his away towards him. From his mere silhouette, Vax recognised who the man was, and his blood ran cold, involuntarily moving back until he was right up against the pillar. 

“Vax'ildan.” A tall elven man who was just a few ways taller than Vax, and features that bore striking resemblances to one another - anyone could have told at first glance that the two were related to each other. 

“ _ You? _ ” It was all Vax could manage, giving his father a pained look. He had not seen this man for eight years. What was he supposed to say to him now? What was he even supposed to  _ do?  _

Finally, he settled on asking, “Why are you here?”    
“I suppose I could… ask you the same.” Syldor mumbled unsurely, a forlorn expression on his face. It was befuddling, to say the least, for Vax to see his father look upon him without any sort of contempt, or disgust. “How have you been?”    
“Does it matter?” Vax muttered, finally finding his courage and managing to glare at Syldor. The older man visibly flinched from the look his son gave him, and a sad smile on his face when he finally spoke. 

“Vax, it's been eight years. I just… wanted to know if you're okay. If you've  _ been  _ okay. You and Vex'ahlia.” 

Vax couldn't tell if this was all an act or if Syldor was genuinely concerned for him, but he wasn't having any of it right now. The faster he could get away from Syldor, the better. 

“Yeah, it's been eight years. Now you see me, and now you care. Can you just leave me alone? Go back to your family or whatever, I don't want anything to do with you.” 

Syldor looked at Vax like he had been slapped in the face, and Vax just glared back, feeling no remorse whatsoever, but also wishing that this conversation could end and he could be left alone. 

“Vax, please, I just want to talk-”    
“Everything okay?” 

Vax blinked as a taller figure swooped to his side and he looked up at Percy, who seemed far from smiling at that moment.

Syldor looked up at the pale haired man and raised a brow curiously, his lips forming a tight-lipped grimace. “Mr. de Rolo, I didn't know you were together.” 

Vax noticed Percy frown at Syldor, and felt an arm around his waist as he nodded slowly, “Yeah, we're together. Is there a problem, Sir?” 

Syldor looked at the two of them with displeasure, but simply shrugged and shook his head. “Oh, nothing. Just catching up. See you around.”

Syldor bowed his head to the pair, and with a nod specifically towards Vax, he walked back towards the tables and disappeared amongst the crowd. 

Vax let out a shaky sigh, his knees feeling weak and he would have surely collapsed if Percy hadn't been there to hold him upright. Despite being lean and far from muscular, he was able to hold a firm grip onto Vax, an expression laced with concern formed on his face. 

“Vax. Are you okay?” Percy asked quietly, and Vax shook his head, leaning against the pillar as he looked at the floor. He didn't even understand why he was so shaken up after seeing his father, he didn't know why his legs felt like they would give out, and he certainly did not know what this meant for his sanity but he was certain that he needed to get the fuck out of there, and right now. 

“Can we- sorry, but can we leave?”   
“Yeah. Yeah, let's go. We can leave.” Percy took out his mobile to call his driver, probably, putting an arm around Vax and leading him out the other side of the building. 

“I'm sorry, I've just ruined the night for you and your press OP.” Vax chuckled bitterly as they walked out through what looked to be the back gate of the premises. He managed to catch a few flashes in the corner of his eye as he climbed into the car, and finally could feel himself breathe a little easier when their driver started the engine and took off with speed.

“Please. That isn't important right now. What happened, Vax?” Percy looked at him with concern, a hand reaching out to touch his shoulder. Vax jumped a little at the touch, and  _ this was so unlike himself,  _ but he managed to force a smile as he looked at the other. 

“That man was my father. I haven't seen him in eight years.” 

That was about as comfortable as Vax was with telling Percy about his family and Syngorn, and after a tense moment of silence, Percy nodded at him, his hand leaving Vax's shoulder.

“Okay. I understand. Well… if it makes you feel any better, I can always get him off the guest list one way or another. Hm?” 

Vax glanced at Percy, wondering if he was pulling his leg, but the other seemed to be perfectly serious. It shouldn’t be surprising him, Percy was definitely a man of influence. Vax, for a moment, wondered if he could use this to his advantage.

“Well, the offer is tempting,” Vax murmured, looking back down at his hands, “but even if I avoid the man at parties, I don't think I can avoid him outside socialite events. He'll probably figure out where me and my sister live.”    
“Vax. I can make sure that doesn't happen. Just give me the green light and I'll make sure he's out of your hair.”

Vax let out a small chuckle as he turned towards Percy, “Huh. It sounds like you're going to have him killed.”    
“I mean, it's not an impossible task.” Percy shrugged, his gaze suddenly turning deadly.  _ Was it a trick of the light?  _ Either way, Vax felt his stomach turn uncomfortably at those words. He barely had any idea of who Percy was, and the thought of him having connections like this was concerning. There was an overwhelming urge to jump out of the car all of a sudden, but he just about managed to keep himself where he was.

“Look… I'll consider it. The guest list, I mean.” Vax added quickly as he leaned back into his seat. “But thank you for looking out for me?”    
“Of course. Your service is most required, I need you in top form, Vax.”

_ Oh _ , Vax thought bitterly, fists unwillingly clenched as he absorbed those words,  _ just a service _ . Of course, Vax would have no value to Percy other than arm candy and publicity. All of the care and concern was probably just the same. More publicity. It didn’t matter that Percy had shown him genuine concern a mere few minutes ago, because ultimately, it didn’t mean shit to him at all. 

Vax knew this, Vax  _ knew  _ these were the terms. 

So why the heck did he care so much? 

“Okay. I guess I’ll just take you back around to mine-”   
“Sorry,” Vax interrupted, glaring at the man and feeling a twinge of satisfaction when Percy seemed to look upset, “I’d rather just go home.” 

The question was met with long silence, before Percy finally sighed, turning away from him and replied in a heavy voice, “Yeah. Of course.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, sorry this update was long overdue, and I'm really bad with updates.  
> I'm so overwhelmed by the positive response this is getting so far, we're only a chapter in and I've had people tell me they're excited! Thank you so much :D  
> I hope that you liked this chapter - I proofed for once but maybe I missed something, it's almost 11 PM and I'm already half-asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope y'all like it aklsda


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